Innocent Until Proven Vicious
by Wake Me Up When It's All Over
Summary: Nezumi has returned to No. 6, and he and Shion are living together happily. But when a gang beats up Nezumi, he decides to take revenge. Unfortunately, someone's beat him to the punch! Someone who should have been Nezumi's naive salvation... Follow this pair's agony-riddled love story! Warning/Spoiler - Shion dies later in this fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

"Ugh," Nezumi groans. He leans against the wall, breathing heavily as he nurses tender wounds all over his body. That is the state Shion found him in. The white-haired boy's shock was clear as he hurriedly tried to lift Nezumi, and failed. "Who was it? Who did this?"

Nezumi looked up with affection, patting Shion's cheek. "The usual," he replied. "Don't worry - they always back off after a while. I got a few of them this time, too." Shion's red eyes were wide, but something... "Right," the boy sighed, leaning on the opposite wall of the injured one.

"Will you be fine for tonight..? I need to go home." Nezumi scoffed lightly. "Go on," he said. "I'll be fine." He watched Shion's retreating back for a moment, then he got up painfully. _I'll tend to these wounds,_ he thought, glancing up at the darkening sky. _Then I'll get those guys - for good._

 _This was a bad idea._ Nezumi reluctantly admitted this to himself as he crouched on the roof of the gang's hideout. Inhaling, wincing, he swung himself silently through an open window. The coppery smell of blood made him pause, and he glanced down.

The whole ground was damp with splattered blood. A movement caught his eye, and he turned quickly, only to drop his knife with a clatter. "Shion..?" The shock of white against the black and red startled him. He could deal with the depths of hell - but not Shion being the cause of it.

The familiar eyes had hardened into unfamiliar red stones. Shion's voice was cold as he said, "Nezumi - I didn't think you'd be here." In a grand gesture he motioned to the room. "Look - they hurt Nezumi three times already. So now they're gone."

Desperately Nezumi grabbed Shion's bloody hand. "Please drop the knife, Shion." Looking surprised, Shion did so. "Why-?" Shion interrupted, "No one hurts Nezumi. I warned them off the last few times, but they didn't listen."

 **Hello~! I've always liked how cutesy Shion could turn into a killing machine, so I did a quick one-shot on it. Plus I've always loved this anime/manga, so... I hope you enjoyed, please read my other fanfics if interested!**


	2. Chapter 2

"I..." Shion watched sadly as Nezumi struggled for words. He knew how Nezumi viewed him - as his precious, innocent Shion. But Shion wouldn't stand by when Nezumi was being hurt. How could he? Nezumi was too important.

"Shion, why did you turn into a murderer? I could've taken care of it, I always do, don't I?" _Yeah,_ Shion thought. _Just like how you took care of that man who wanted to assault you the last week. Or that guard I'd killed, or that man I barely stopped with my wire underground. When you came back two years ago, I swore never to let you go, never to let you die._

Shion didn't voice any of these thoughts. Instead, he sighed and bent down, not missing the way Nezumi flinched when he picked up the knife. He took slow, deliberate steps towards the rat, pressing the slick handle into Nezumi's hands.

"I love you," Shion whispered, passing Nezumi by. "I will never let you get hurt again." He left the hideout, knowing Nezumi would remain speechless for a while later. _And if he leaves again,_ he thought privately, _I will bring him back... No matter what_.

 **Alrighty, I honestly wasn't planning to make this longer, but a couple people started following thus, so I thought why not? Because of lack of planning, though, chapters will be shorter... And shorter... And shorter...**


	3. Chapter 3

**I swear, this is gonna turn out crappy. I meant for this to be a one-shot, so when I was persuaded to continue it, I had no plans. So here we go - next installment of Innocent Until Proven Vicious! Enjoy!**

 **"** I'm back, Shion." Shion looked Nezumi up and down. Then he smiled, "I thought for sure it'd be more than just one year. Welcome back!" Nezumi grinned. Shion asked no questions about why Nezumi had to leave, or what the man had been doing all this time. He simply smiled, and let the rat back into his life.

* * *

"Ahaha, so he's back?"

"Yeah, Eve came crawling into No. 6 a few days ago."

"Let's teach him a lesson... Hey! You! You're living with Eve, right?!"

Shion glanced nervously at the men calling out. He tried to hurry, but found his way blocked. Reluctantly he answered, "N-no..."

"He is! I know where that brat lives!"

Panicked, Shion cried out, "Wait!" A hand flew out, slamming him into the ground. Shion slumped down, unconscious.

He woke up a minute later and ran, leaving behind the groceries he'd carried. Flying open the door, Shion came upon a scene with a beaten, fainted Nezumi, and the men still abusing the rat.

" **Stop it.** "

* * *

"Nn..." Nezumi woke up to see Shion cooking. He found himself on the couch, bandaged. "Shion..? When'd you get home..?" He thought he saw the boy flinch. Surging up, ignoring his wounds, he grasped the boy's arm.

"What happened?"

Shion turned and frowned, saying, "I came home, and you were beaten up. Did someone hurt you..? Why..?" Internally breathing a sigh of relief, Nezumi leaned back and shrugged. "Lots of people have grudges against me.

The white-haired boy nodded, turning back to the soup. He refrained from flancing out the window, where lying below were two large bags, sealed tightly.

 **That's what happened when Neumi and Shion met up. After that, Nezumi remained ignorant of all the other times Shion saved his ass until the first chapter of this story.**


	4. Chapter 4

"...Shion." _Nezumi? Hey. I'm sorry for killing them, I didn't want to, but you can't get hurt either. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..._ Shion blinked once, willing away the tears, willing away his 'usual' self. It wouldn't do to let Nezumi see how much he'd changed, ever since that first night. Instead, he replied simply, "Nezumi."

Nezumi was quiet. It was a bit unexpected, considering how his temper flares easily, but Shion preferred this. He asked, "What do you want to do?" Nezumi looked up, confusion clear on his face. Shion explained, "I know you loved me as I was. And I love you as you are..."

"No," Nezumi interrupted. "I love you no matter what, Shion." _No. You love the me that smiled with innocence and blushed at the slightest hint of a kiss. You love the me that wanted to help others so naively. You can't possibly love the me who slaughters your enemies without a second thought._

Quietly, Shion spoke as if Nezumi had never said a thing. "Since things are this way, what do you want to do..? I can go back to that naive boy for you, and you can treat me like a fragile thing again. That was real. But... This 'me' is more so right now."

Nezumi frowned. He didn't like to contemplate living a lie, and he didn't like how Shion had grown to be so cold - under his own nose, no less. "I... We shouldn't live a lie." To his surprise, Shion laughed. The laugh was warm and sweet. It was the laugh Neuzmi remembered from before.

The expression on Shion's face was completely different, mocking and bitter. Quickly Shion started speaking in a furious voice, "I didn't like living a lie either. But I loved you so damn much, Nezumi! I loved everything about you! Even when you left me and I believed I would not see you for at least a few years - _a few years_ \- I couldn't stop loving you."

Shion stopped, not even a bit out breath. He opened his mouth to continue, but paused when he saw Nezumi's expression. The rat who had truly believed Shion to be innocent, who believed Shion was his salvation, found his dreams shattered.

 _I wonder how much this is hurting him,_ Shion wondered. _And who is in more pain, him or me? To think he fell for my acting all this time._ Sighing, he turned away from Nezumi. "You have to decide tonight," he said. "I need to know, for tomorrow morning."

"...I'm leaving." _Crap._ Shion turned to Nezumi to see the dark-haired boy walking away. _No. No. No._ Fear flooded Shion's mind. Then just as quickly, calm replaced it. "Why?" Nezumi stopped at Shion's cold voice, and replied, "Should I explain myself to you?"

Shion took a deep breath. He slid his hand into his pocket, pulling out a pocketknife. At the snick of it opening, Nezumi glanced back, then turned completely in horror. Shion smiled, fighting back the hysteria and anger. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to live without you. But you only love a false version of myself. You're going to leave again. I don't want you to leave. I can't hurt you..."

A spark of satisfaction, in the midst of his swirling emotions, appeared in Shion as Nezumi's eyes filled with fear. "No, Shion!" Shion said, "I don't want to die. But I don't want to see a world without you."

I wonder what he expects. For me to commit suicide? Ahaha... That'd be preferable to this. Pain exploded in Shion's left eye as he...

 **I'm sure you know what he does with his knife. Not how I planned this, but hey - I figured why not. A bit longer, right..? Kind of..?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! I'm a bit proud of this chapter. I did it in my phone, so it's not the best, but the length and progression is okay, right..? Enjoy!**

"...Shion, I'm so sorry..." Shion stayed still, trying to breathe deeply. Nezumi didn't notice, holding the white-haired boy's hand, crying. "I'm so sorry I didn't notice sooner. I'm sorry I left at all..." _Nezumi is crying and apologizing,_ Shion reflected. He couldn't find it in himself to be amused. _Why doesn't my eye hurt? Painkillers? Ah - did I black out?_ Shion became aware of the crisp blanket covering him, as well as the sharp smell of medicine. _A hospital._

The sound of the door opening distracted Shion. "How is he?" _A nurse._ "Still sleeping," Nezumi replied, his voice steady. _What an excellent actor._ When the nurse left, Nezumi was silent. Figuring his charade wouldn't last much longer, Shion inhaled, then opened his eye. The other was plastered with bandages. "Where am I?" Nezumi looked away as he cautiously said, "A hospital." _I'm that scary, huh?_ "...Did you bring me here?" As Nezumi replied affirmative, he looked at the window.

"Let me guess - not in time to save my eye." To his surprise, Nezumi looked at him angrily. _There's the Nezumi I know._ "Why Shion?!" Nezumi snapped angrily. "Why did you do that?! Why would you kill those people?! Why..."

"...am I so obsessed with you?" Shion finished for him. He grinned, eliciting a flinch from Nezumi. "Ask yourself the same thing. You're so naive, Nezumi. People don't stay innocent forever. You loved me _that way,_ you don't love _me_ , do you?" Nezumi was quiet. Finally he said, "I love you," but his tone was clearly uncertain.

Shion swept his gaze over the hospital room, then snapped, "Fine. Get out, then." Smirking, Nezumi reclined and shook his head. Faster than the rat could see, Shion darted around him and opened the door. "Miss," he said to the closest nurse, "he's disturbing me. Mind seeing him out? I'm tired." Nezumi sighed as the nurse scolded him while leading him away. _He'll get back in,_ Shion thought. He glanced at the scalpel left on the table. _But not in time._ Picking the tool up, he lifted it.

"Shion!" It was knocked out of his hand, then he was enfolded in an embrace that emanated 'you are not to move for the rest of your life'. "You're good," came Shion's muffled admittance. Nezumi groaned as he hugged the boy tighter. "Dammit, Shion, stop it." Shion knew what Nezumi was asking - stop getting in my head, stop trying to leave me, stop taking over my life.

 _Believe me, I want you to do the same. I wonder why we can't simply give in to each other..?_ Shion let himself be led to the bed, where Nezumi stared the boy down. Finally Shion said, "Damn. I probably won't get another chance like that again, huh?" Nezumi stayed silent.

"...Okay, I'm going to sleep now. If you leave, I get another chance. If you don't, you better have an answer to my question." Shion rolled over and closed his eyes, nervousness delaying the darkness for a few minutes.


	6. Chapter 6

_...He really left._ Shion stared at the empty room around him, his despair and anger growing equally. _Why?! That man... Why..?_ Shion groaned, reclining on the bed. _I didn't think he'd really leave. Shows how conceited I am,_ he admitted bitterly to himself.

Then he glanced at the window. It was unlocked. Hesitating, he walked over to it, holding out a hand to compensate for his lack of depth perception. When his hand closed over the cold latch, he firmly latched it down.

Then he locked the door, grateful his condition wasn't bad enough for the nurses to check up on him. Then he grabbed the scalpel again. _I don't want to go blind,_ Shion thought. _Damn, so much for my resolve._ He angled the scalpel at his wall and threw it. Thud. It stuck to the plaster. Shion froze, then took a deep breath. He smiled. He unlocked the door and, carefully tucking the scalpel beneath his sleeve, stepped out. He chatted to the nurses before leaving. He calmly threw away the object. He pocketed his knife. Then he went to the dog keeper.

Inukashi frowned as he looked up and down at the boy. "Look..." Shion cut in, "Where is Nezumi?" Inukashi hesitated. "He paid good money, Shion. Just calm down, that rat won't be gone for long..." Deliberately Shion pulled out the knife, pressing it to one of Inukashi's dogs. " **Tell me.** " Inukashi's eyes widened, then narrowed as the dog began to whimper.

Fury shook Inukashi's voice as he said, "He left. Said he was never coming back. Didn't say a thing past that. Maybe he went to No. 5." _Yeah, right. You just want your dog back, liar._ Shion pushed the dog away, neatly dodging Inukashi's punch as he left. He inhaled, then exhaled. In - out. Nezumi was gone. Nezumi was gone. Again. _After years of being careful, of keeping him ignorant..._ _I will bring him back. I will never let him go once I've done so. Never. Never._

 _S_ hion winced, fully understanding how insane his mindset was, but unable to prevent the thoughts. He vowed, _I won't kill him to keep him. Never that._ Sighing, Shion started walking in the direction of the edge of No. 6, where the wall once stood but had been taken down soon after Nezumi returned.

 _Threaten a few politicians and miracles happen. Nezumi had been so happy then,_ Shion reflected. _And there, where his house was, I'd bribed people to keep his books and things intact. And there, I'd destroyed the men who'd insulted Eve. I did so much in the shadows..._ Gritting his teeth against the tears, Shion walked forward. _He was so damn surprised and happy - I was innocent? He's the naive one!_

 _Somehow, Nezumi's jaded personality made his naivety all the more ridiculous. Ugh..._ He glimpsed long black hair in the crowd. "Nezumi!" The boy turned. Shion ran faster. "Nezu-" Pain flashed across the back of his head. He blacked out. _Ah - the West Block is the West Block, even without a wall._

Shion stirred, groaning. _I can't believe you found me,_ Nezumi thought exasperatedly. _I'm glad you're not dead, but why are you here? It's dangerous, here in the West Block, where injury doesn't have to be intentional. Shion, are you insane?_ "Shion..?" Nezumi whispered softly. Shion opened his eyes, staring at Nezumi from his lap. A few moments passed, then, "...Who are you?"

 **Ahaha, cliffhanger! *shrieks as a random gunshot clips my arm* Ah, sorry, sorry - not. *takes cover* Anyways, I do love those reviews. I bet no one saw this coming - honestly this story has spun _way_ outta control, considering how it was _supposed_ to be a one-shot, but people kept reviewing in Spanish so... After using Google translate I was like, yay! I'm loved! Then kept writing. This is fun. Ciao!**


	7. Chapter 7

_...What?_ Nezumi stared at Shion, whose expression was curious, but blank. Finally Nezumi stammered, "What are you talking about?" In a happy-go-lucky voice, Shion replied, "I'm not sure. Where are we, anyway?"

 _After all that... after all that, he just goes and loses his memory? The hell!_ As calmly as he could, Nezumi asked, "What do you remember?" Shion frowned. He shrugged. "Um... It's really foggy. It's not supposed to be like that, right?" Nezumi groaned. "You don't even remember your name?"

Shion shook his head. Nezumi hesitated. _Hospital or home? Ugh, this airhead! Damn!_ "Are you two okay?" Nezumi glanced up to see an irritated Inukashi. He knew how they looked - Shion's head in his lap, seemingly cozy after their fight. "This guy lost his memory," he said shortly.

Inukashi laughed. "Well," the bishounen chuckled, "now you can have your precious boy back." Nezumi watched him walk away. _Don't tempt me._ "What did she mean by that?" Nezumi looked down. "Inukashi is a guy. You're Shion. And I'm... Nezumi." Shion sat up, fingering his white hair.

Nezumi reflected on how alone Shion would be right now. After all, with Karan and little Shion gone, as well as Inukashi being as irritated as hell... It fell to Nezumi to take care of Shion. _Damn._

Roughly Nezumi grabbed Shion's arm, pulling the boy. Shion didn't resist a bit, making the trip to their apartment easy. Nezumi sat Shion down on the couch, saying, "I'll make something for you to eat. Try to..." _Do I want him to remember?_ "...relax."

 **Ugh I need sugar... I'd say caffeine, but that stuff's nasty. So's soda with that carbonation thing going on. Sleepy, but figured I'd make one more chapter... Though it's good as crap... But less cliff-hanger now, yeah? I wonder if Nesumi will take advantage of Shion's memory loss, or..?**


	8. Chapter 8

_What the hell am I doing?_ Nezumi frowned at the night sky. He was all too aware of the sleeping boy lying just inside the apartment. Fidgeting, he stood, pulling himself onto the railing and peering down the street, watching everyone go by with their daily lives. Nezumi tried to look at the situation rationally - but everything was a mess. He did love the Shion the way he was now, but... was Shion truly himself..? Did that make him naive? Nezumi gritted his teeth as he recalled Shion's words - " _You're so naive, Nezumi. People don't stay innocent forever._ " He groaned. _Shion... Shion..._

Nezumi was as quiet as ever. Shion listened with sad amusement as the rat let out the occasional groan. _Ah, Nezumi,_ he thought. _You are so stupid. So torn between your desires and what is 'right' that you have lost the ability to see through my charade. I am trying to give you a second chance, and am ignoring what I believe I should do - die. I love you, I love you... Why did you find me that night? And why did your love turn so himquickly to fear? It hurts._ Shion grimaced, raising his arms up over his head and faking a yawn.

Nezumi turned at the sound, quelling his irritation. "Couldn't sleep?" Shion nodded, coming out onto the balcony. Nezumi fruitlessly tried to ignore how the boy's wide red eyes sparkled in the moonlight, or how... _Stop it,_ he told himself. He glanced at Shion again, wondering what the right course of action was. And when did I start caring about what was right? Nezumi wanted to kill Shion, get rid of the nuisance, but he knew he couldn't. Not ever. "Nezumi..?" He glanced sideways, only to wobble as he found Shion's face near his. "Wh-what the-?"

"Nezumi, I..." Shion swallowed, then laughed. "Ahaha! I didn't think you could be startled so easily!" Nezumi frowned as Shion backed away. The familiar annoyance was sparking in Nezumi's eyes, but that was fine by Shion. Let Nezumi's anger grow hot and wild. Hopefully it wouldn't turn cold and calculating anytime soon, because Shion's only weapon - his innocence of his past self - would not hold up against that. _I need to strengthen that weapon..._ Shion thought sadly, studying the boy he loved. _Before I reveal it. Before I use it to stop Nezumi from leaving me, ever._

Nezumi studied the boy beside him. Someone felt wrong. He tried to calm down, tried to think clearly about this infuriating airhead beside him. It struck him - _why was Shion so trusting?_ Nezumi hadn't shown him any proof, yet... Even Shion would be a little wary. Nezumi cleared his face of suspicion as he wondered - _is_ _Shion faking his amnesia?_

 **Hey everybody~! Hope you all are still enjoying this! Lots of thanks to the supportive reviewers, Spanish and English alike! Names are fickle here, so you'll just have to trust that every minute, from after school until midnight, I check my phone, wondering if someone reviewed and squeals with delight when they did. I read every single one. I swear on my honor as a mage, my pride as a mad Wonderlandian, and so much more. Ciao!**


	9. Chapter 9

The instant Nezumi wondered, he started trying to observe Shion as he would an enemy. The realization he was doing this was... well, disappointing to him, but he was scared. Scared that Shion was tricking him again. Scared that the boy he loved was still as ravaged as ever. Closing his eyes, Nezumi exhaled into the cold night air. _I hope I'm being paranoid,_ he thought grimly. He glanced at Shion again, only to see those red orbs staring back at him. "It's cold," Shion said. "I'm going back in. Good night!" Nezumi shuddered. The words had been so jovial and carefree, but for a second, he thought he saw Shion's eyes go flat. _I should watch him._

Shion yawned, opening his eyes. _I'm exhausted,_ he thought. He turned over, curling back into the blankets. "Wake up!" Shion held tightly onto the blankets as Nezumi tried to rip them away. Nezumi grunted with irritation as Shion somewhat succeeded - though the blankets were pulled off the bed, Shion kept his grip on them, tumbling off as well. "Let go," Nezumi said firmly. Shion shook his head, then winced. His head was pounding, and it was cold. He wound himself further into the sheets, leaving Nezumi to let go, saying, "Fine - I'll go make breakfast." Shion cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse as he admitted, "I think... I'm sick..."

Nezumi looked down at the prone boy. After a moment's hesitation he lay his hand on the boy's forehead, pulling away as he felt it burning. _God,_ he thought irritatedly. _Can't ever make life easy._ Grumbling internally Nezumi lifted the boy back onto the bed, handing him some ice packs. He was worried about Shion, but he had work to go to. "Don't go anywhere," Nezumi warned the boy. "I'll be back in an hour - Inukashi can come over, I'm sure he won't mind me owing him a favor." He pulled a face as he contemplated the prospect, then left.

Shion groaned, crawling out of the bed. _I change my mind,_ he thought, pulling himself painfully over to the balcony. He looked down the fatal drop. _I think... Nezumi would be happy if his last memories of me are those of my innocence. Maybe..._ "Why are you out of bed?" Shion almost fell unintentionally as he turned to see Inukashi's upset face. "You should be resting, Shion!" Shion shook his head. "Don't..." he managed, but Inukashi bundled him back into the bed. Shion whispered, "If I had a secret, how much would it cost for you to keep it?" Inukashi stiffened at Shion's suddenly hard tone. He searched the white-haired boy's eyes before responding, "pay more than the one who'd want to hear that secret." Shion nodded, his expression relaxing again.

"Nezumi was right, you are a merchant!" Shion laughed lightly. Then he looked up, his eyes fierce again. "I... I am... Inukashi, I'm going crazy..." He lurched up, grabbing the startled dog-keeper by the shoulders. "I'm sorry..." Then he fainted, Inukashi barely catching him. Inukashi gently put Shion down, shocked. He muttered, "Shion..." In his delirium, Shion thought, _Sorry... I'm sorry... I love you... Nezumi..._

 **So! I took a bit, but hey! I had a cold (actually I still have it) and I felt like a lot of things, writer's block being a side-effect. Hope you enjoy, wish me luck in recovering.**


	10. Chapter 10

"How is he?"

"Seems fine - we're running scans now. There's something odd about..."

A thud. "Figure out what's wrong already!"

"We're trying. He's not in any danger right now, so _calm down_."

 _Where am I?_

"He's moving."

"Shion?"

 _Is that Nezumi?_

"Damn it, wake up, Shion!"

 _That's him._

"Please! Sir! Calm down!"

 _Don't call him sir._

"Don't call me sir!"

Shion shifted slightly, trying to move his heavy body. He managed to say, "Nezu..?"

Another thud. "What're you doing with that?!"

"We can't let him fully awake. He's got a severe case of..."

A prick on his arm, then darkness.

One thought spiraled through that darkness - _how do I tell him?_

 **Glad you're enjoying this, everybody! No one wished me luck on my recovery, but I'm better-ish anyway. Anyone wanna say congrats..? No?... Oh well. I know this was a bit short and bad, but I realized I had literally written myself into a corner. Anyone got ideas about what's wrong with Shion, please please please let me know.**


	11. Chapter 11

"How are you feeling?" I blinked upwards. My throat hurts - a lot. _Couldn't they shut up?_ A sigh from the man. He muttered, "Won't respond." He got up and walked out, leaving me alone. In the bright lights. It wasn't quiet. Outside the room I could hear the muffled sound of people busily walking by, talking. Talking. I raised a hand to rub my throat. It was itchy, but from my wheezing breath I knew it would hurt a lot to cough. I rubbed my chest as well in an effort to quell the fire. _Where am I?... That man, I'm certain I didn't know him. Where is Nezumi?_

I recalled the conversation I barely remembered from my delirium earlier. _Am I sick? Yes, that's right_. I sat up, looking around. I went through the documents lying on the desk, pleased the ones about me were there. I read, _patient has only three months to live,_ and laughed. After all, it seems I am to die. It was a mistake to laugh, though, because it quickly turned to coughing, each convulsion slicing through my throat. After it stopped I breathed shallowly, afraid I might set it off again. _Nez_ \- I cut off the thought. _What should I do? Is there anything to be done?_ I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling my heart beat. _I love Nezumi._

I wanted to chuckle, barely holding it in. _I claimed Nezumi didn't love me, but I wonder if I love him. I... dislike it when he's hurt..._ I think back. All the kind gestures, all the cruel ones, I loved as they were from Nezumi. Shaking my head, I hear the door creak. I turn to see the man rushing over, saying, "You can't get up! You need res-" I kicked him in the groin. _I suppose..._ I pondered my situation. _This once I will use violence solely for myself._ That settled, I darted out into the hallway, straining my weakened body to be strong, be fast. I paid my labored breathing no mind. "Shion-!" I nearly stumbled, hearing Nezumi's voice brought back my longing. Then I heard a whistle and dogged, a needle sailing through the air past me. _Nezumi... I should have expected that._ I ducked down a few hallways, slamming into a locked door. It was the only one to the stairs. An elevator too risky - could be hacked or controlled manually.

I staggered away, panting. My breathing was getting worse, and I felt like I was going to fall any second. I shoved a leg in front, again and again, trying to escape. Then I saw it. The window. It was wide open. _Three months or one day?_ I grinned, clambering onto the windowsill, turning back to see a desperate Nezumi and huffing doctors. I waved, smiling that sweet smile I know he lived. I even said "Good-bye" the way I did when we first met. I wonder if this will scar him. I consider the notion. Then I realize I never loved Nezumi either. I loved Nezumi's warmth, his closeness, the fact he belonged to me. I laughed freely now, despite the pain, because I realized that I was truly something Nezumi despised - a hypocrite. I jumped, aiming for the unforgiving concrete below. _I hope he doesn't save me,_ I think through my body's natural fear-fueled adrenaline. _This will hurt a lot.._.

Nezumi screamed. "SHION!" He made it to the windowsill in time to see the boy land. He looked away. All his life, he'd seen a lot, but nothing was as horrible as this... That white hair on a snake snake, intertwining along white skin stained with red blood. _White - red - white - red._ Nezumi backed away, then rushed down the stairs. _Shion must have been too weak to open them,_ he thought dimly. _Otherwise he would've gone through_.

 **Hey~! I didn't want to kill Shion... but it seems fitting for this kind of story. I really am a sadist. You know, when I had a cold, I lay for a while, then got up and tried running, same as Shion. Obviously my breathing was a bit bad and my body a bit weak, so I felt what he must have been going through. And geez it hurts. I know it's not healthy... (or maybe it is, I don't know) but it's so much fun when you narrate a story you can experience! All my stories are getting diseased. I blame my heartless readers for not wishing me well ~ oh, and the story won't end here. I was thinking maybe I could have Nezumi take care of Inukashi's little Shion... And the child exhibits the same nurderous characteristics of Shion... Whaddya think? Or should I just rewrite this and let Shion live?**


	12. Chapter 12

_"I'm sorry." Nezumi growled as he stood, keeping his body firmly between the door and the doorframe. "You lied to me! You didn't lose your memory - you were just waiting until I let my guard down enough for you to die!" Shion didn't deny it, making Nezumi angrier. He didn't care that the boy was hunched against the rain, or that half the water on the boy's face were probably tears. He wouldn't let Shion in. Suddenly Shion laughed softly. He reached out his hand. "Then... good-bye?" Nezumi hesitated. Something in him was uneasy at the thought of that. Shion laughed again, starting to irritate Nezumi. "If you're gonna be like that," the white-haired boy said, "at least let me in while you think." The boy ran through Nezumi. The rat turned, startled, only to see an empty room. "...Shion?"_

Nezumi opened his eyes. He looked around the apartment and realized that had been a dream. _Shion's death hadn't,_ he thought grimly. He recalled the memory, and gritted his teeth against the pain. "Hey." Nezumi glanced over at Inukashi. "What do you want, dog-keeper?" The bishounen was silent before saying, "I miss Shion too." Nezumi hissed. "Get out." Inukashi glared. "Look, I was only trying to-"

"GET OUT, OR I SWEAR I'LL MURDER EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR DOGS!" Nezumi roared. Inukashi backed away, slamming the door behind him. Nezumi collapsed on the couch, holding his head in his hands. "Shion... I'm so sorry, I... Ugh, for an airhead you've ruined me..."

 **Alright! Fellow sadists, please wait for the next chapter, as this chapter sets up Nezumi's mindset for his upcoming torture, written by yours truly. Thanks for the support, Bluebellindy! On a side note, I was thinking of having Shion come back as a ghost. Thoughts, anyone? Oh - and I'm sorry this took a bit, I had it ready but I had no internet...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Note: author comments are outdated, due to the next few chapters having been written months ago. Sorry for the delay.**

 **Oh thanks! katariarellon2, I'm glad you think so! I wonder what kind of ghost Shion should be. For now I'll stick with him haunting Nezumi's dreams, and depending on reviews I guess we'll see!**

 _"Nezumi ~ where are you going?" He turned to see Shion, the boy's face and hair still wet. "I..." Nezumi hesitated. Hadn't the room been empty? Shion laughed, turning to face the far wall. "I know," he said. Nezumi heard the tinge of sadness to the boy's tone as he continued, "you didn't see me at first. But you never did, did you?" Nezumi recoiled as Shion's scar writhed, it's head lifting, hissing in the rat's direction. Shion himself turned to face Nezumi, his eyes a flat red. "Not for a long, long time." Shion stepped forward, Nezumi backing up into the rain. "But I still loved you."_

Nezumi gasped, opening his eyes. Only the second day since Shion's death, and already he had his second nightmare. _I'm getting weak,_ he thought grimly.


	14. Chapter 14

_"Don't run," Shion said sadly. "Aren't you cold? Come in." That's my room, Nezumi thought vaguely. But with Shion inside, he felt uneasy walking back in. Shion laughed. Sitting down, he stroked the red snake slithering on the ground. "It's okay," he told Nezumi. "If you don't want me to stay, I'll go. I miss Safu, and Karan a lot, so I'll be fine." Shion smiled sweetly. "I won't miss you, Nezumi."_

 _He won't miss me?! That's..._ Nezumi sighed as he lay against the roof. He hated himself for getting so worked up, but he couldn't help it. Besides, Shion wasn't here to distract him _(that airhead is the reason for this, in the first place)_ and Inukashi wouldn't dare get close, so no one was there to stop him.

 _"..." Nezumi stared at the again-empty room. "Shion?" Having gotten used to the recurring dream, Nezumi had expected to see Shion again. "Oh - did you miss me? I'm happy, you still want me."_

Nezumi opened his eyes to see Shion smiling down at him.

 **And we have our ghost! Is he bloody? Is he real? And how will Nezumi react? Will he be happy, furious, weirded out, or..? Personally I'd be weirded out, but sadly I'm not Nezumi.**


	15. Chapter 15

...

...

...

"...if I'm drunk," Nezumi mused aloud, "this has gotta be the best high I've been on yet." Shion frowned. "Drinking's bad for you," he admonished. Nezumi raised an eyebrow, laughing. "Yes, your majesty." Shion smiled, clearly relieved Nezumi wasn't yelling at him. Elated, he leapt at the rat - only to fall through body and bed. "Shion?!" Nezumi rolled over to look under the bed, finding a sheepish Shion lying there. "Ah," Nezumi muttered, pushing his hair back. "For a minute, I really thought this was part of a delusion, but I guess this is all real." Shion nodded sadly. He crawled out, sprawling himself out on the apartment floor. Nezumi wondered about the fact Shion could do that, but stopped before his head could explode. He stared at the boy instead, drinking in that white hair and red scar... It was then he noticed how gaunt and pale Shion was. "If you're dead, why do you look so exhausted?" Shion shrugged. Nezumi stared, until finally the boy admitted, "It's a bit hard to... stay corporeal." Nezumi growled a bit, hating that. Suddenly Shion started to shimmer. He looked at the rat, his face sad again, as he said, "I love you." Then he vanished. Nezumi's heart broke as the boy disappeared, leaving behind a hole that felt twice as empty with Shion having been ripped away a second time.

 **Ghost alert! I've never been one for ghost stories, but even you all have to admit this isn't very scary. I'm sorry, katarianello2, but unfortunately Shion isn't very cool... I'll fix that soon. Or I'll try. This is so not what I planned but hey! It's the fun things in life that don't make sense.**


	16. Chapter 16

"...and I'm sorry," Shion whispered, but by then Nezumi could no longer hear him. Or see him. Shion cried, hot tears rolling out of his eyes as he keeled over. "I'm sorry," he whispered. _It hurts. It hurts so much, to be right here with him..._ Shion watched Nezumi leave the house. _I bet he'll be drinking,_ the boy thought bitterly. He looked around at the house before walking over to the doorway, placing one hand against the boundary between inside and outside. _I can't go outside._ Shion slammed a fist against the barrier, but it didn't give. _I love you,_ he'd told Nezumi. But he hadn't forgotten his last thoughts, and it tortured him. _Do I love Nezumi? I love everything I know of him - is that enough? It wasn't enough for me when he felt that way though..._ Shion looked down at his body, remembering the pain of his death. Then everything had gone fuzzy before he ended up here. He vaguely recalled a snake and rain... and maybe Nezumi but nothing else. Am I really dead? Is this 'death'? What is this? What am I? Shion looked up as the door opened again.

To his surprise, Nezumi was walking in... with Inukashi. "...it's true!" Nezumi was saying. "Right," Inukashi dead-panned. "Shion came back from the dead. You saw the coffin!" Shion flinched. "There's no way he's anywhere. Face it, Nezumi - you're just desperate. You know you shouldn't have pushed him away - you were just afraid!" _Him, afraid?_ Shion thought it over, then laughed bitterly. _If he's afraid too, then we'll never get anywhere._ Shrugging, Shion turned away, just as Nezumi muttered, "Yeah, I... Of course I'm afraid. I..." "Love him," Inukashi drawled, sitting in the couch. "Yes, we've established that already." Shion chuckled lightly before looking out. _Now I know why Nezumi left me,_ he thought. _I can't stay... I don't feel ready. I hope Nezumi waits for me._

 **We have a new chapter! Yay~!.. *flops back on bed* You guys got no idea how hard this is getting. It was so much easier until I got past a few chapters. *looks up from bed* Hope you enjoyed. Now Shion's leaving. Okay, guys, next chapter will take place about two years after this. Remember people - this means Shion will be fairly OOC. I'll try to preserve Nezumi's character but... Well, I'm not the mangaka of No. 6, so...**


	17. Chapter 17

A figure walked, his head bent. A cloak whipped around his legs, caught in the fierce wind. His hood was tossed back, revealing long white hair. He held a map, muttering, "I think it's this way... It's been a while..." Folding the map up he tucked it into his pocket. Looking up he laughed, his bright red eyes dancing. "I'm back!"

"..." Nezumi stared at the boy in front of him. The boy stared back, his red scar and eyes, bright white hair - it was all unmistakable. "Nezumi?" the boy asked cautiously. "Are you alright?" Nezumi's breath caught. _This is... Shion._ "You took a long time," Nezumi frowned. Shion laughed happily, hugging Nezumi. "What's with the..." Nezumi trailed off, hugging the very solid Shion back. "Body?" Shion finished. "It's quite the long story. I'm glad to see you're doing well!" Shion chuckled. _19 and still beautiful,_ he thought fondly, looking at Nezumi. ( **just pretend he's 19, no matter what I wrote before** ) "Can I come in?" he asked casually, glancing into the apartment. He was pleased to see it was the same as before. "Do you still live here?" Nezumi was silent, prompting Shion to look up. "Nezumi? What's wrong?"

Nezumi smirked. "Well, you took your time. It's been two years. Come on in." Shion laughed, tumbling into the apartment. Nezumi observed this boy. He looked young, still, and although this was undeniably Shion, something felt off about the way the boy was acting. Shion turned, smiling. "So... I guess I'll tell you how I got this body? It's actually..." Shion trailed off, then continued with a firmly fixed smile, "...a created body. The scientists of No. 9 created it. I stole it... They hadn't had time to program a personality, so this is... me." His voice had gone soft. Nezumi hesitated. Then he sighed dramatically. "Well... I'm surprised you made it here." Shion chuckled, nodding. "I only got this body a few months ago," he added. "No. 9 was so far away, so I took a long time. Being a ghost..."

There was silence. Nezumi looked at Shion, seeing how he shivered. "So why's this body look so young?" he teased, trying to distract the boy. Shion grinned. "When I took this, I think I... imposed myself on it, making it change into me. However it... won't grow." Nezumi nodded, understanding the simple, if odd, logic. Shion shrugged. "I'm just glad I got to meet you again." He looked to the side, then made his way to the balcony. "I'll see you later," he waved, dropping out of sight. Before Nezumi could follow the door opened, and Inukashi came in. "Hey," he sighed, dropping into the couch. As Inukashi started talking, Nezumi was silent. He knew how crazy Shion being alive would sound to Inukashi. He decided to not talk about it. He never needed anyone anyway...

 **Shion's still "dead"... You'll see. Hope you enjoyed! Shion's totally OOC but I like imagining him this way.**


	18. Chapter 18

"It stinks," the boy muttered, screwing up his face. His feet swung over the edge of the roof as he sighed. _I'm still not used to this,_ he thought. He laughed slightly. "Shion?" He looked down to see Nezumi. "Hello!" he called back. "Sorry about that, but who needs Inukashi anyways, right?" He laughed again, the sound merrier than the previous one.

"Right," Nezumi agreed cautiously. The boy's dismissal of Inukashi worried him. His reverie was broken as he heard Shion hum. "Did you know ~ long ago ~ was a heart made of gold ~ That was broken and beaten until it turned to stone." Nezumi looked up at the Shion. "Which song is that?" he asked.

Shion looked down. His expression looked bewildered before he replied, "Mm, should I know..? Ah, it was someone else, someone else, I can't remember." He blinked before adding, "I'll need to leave soon, Nezumi. I need to 'wander' for a while."

"Why?" Nezumi didn't know how he felt - but he did know he was angry. He just didn't know who he was angry at. Shion smiled sadly. "Because... It will get worse. I just wanted to see you." The boy blinked again. "...I think I... Don't forget, I am dead. I am dead - and our love was not right anyway."

He spoke faster now, as if afraid Nezumi would walk away or stop him. "Please don't be mad. I need to leave. Can we be 'normal' for a while? Please..." Nezumi hesitated.

 _When have I bothered about whether something is right?_

"Sure," he answered.

 _He agreed so easily,_ Shion mused. As they walked through the streets he blinked. _My vision is blurring, as well..._ "Just walking?" Shion looked up at Nezumi. "Yes." It felt awkward, quiet... He recalled the early times when he first met Nezumi. It had been easier then. Unsullied? Shion glanced up at the cloudy sky. _Will it rain?_

 _I should tell him. "I have something to tell you," Shion said. Then he realized Nezumi wasn't beside him. "Nezumi?" He spun around. Everything was blurry. A figure grabbed him, and he struggled, but he couldn't move. Shion was dragged into an alley and -_

"Shion?" Shion looked up at Nezumi. The man was a few feet ahead of him. Shion swallowed before smiling. It felt too forced. Nezumi looked suspicious as the boy skipped up beside him. "Nezumi," Shion said, "how long have I been dead?"

"Two years, right?"

"Wrong... I have been dead for four years."

Nezumi had stopped, forcing Shion to stop too. But he wouldn't stop talking. He had to leave soon, he knew, and he wouldn't stop.

"The day after you left me, I...I... I got into an accident. I died but... I didn't. I didn't. I didn't want to leave you. I lived for you! What was I thinking?! I just messed up your life more! And then I forgot I died, but I was supposed to! My mind couldn't handle it, I was going crazy... And then I remembered but I still wanted to see you again... I lied about this body, it took me two years to find someone who looked like me, and I'm becoming even more insane..."

He stopped to take a breath. "I'm sorry..." Tears streamed freely from his eyes. "I'm sorry..." Nezumi was silent.

 **If this contradicts anything I wrote before, please ignore it? Enjoy, enjoy, and - random question - are any of you playing Pokemon GO? Some coworkers were going crazy over it, and it seemed interesting... Just wondering.**


	19. The End

"Shion." The boy opened his eyes to see Nezumi. The rat looked exasperated. "You fainted," he explained before Shion could ask. Shion blinked. "You know," he said quietly, "my time is almost up."

Nezumi wasn't looking at him, so Shion continued, "I will... leave this body. It's breaking down... wasn't meant to handle a foreign presence like me. So I just wanted to say... Good-bye, Nezumi..."

He looked up to see... Nothing. Nothing? No, it was black... Not black, just nothing. "Nezumi?" He couldn't hear, either. Or feel. Or...

Shion had the feeling this was how it should have been. This was how his death should have been. No drawn-out agony of a life that shouldn't have existed. He had the sensation that he was whole again.

Briefly he wondered whether he had actually finished saying good-bye to Nezumi. No emotions accompanied the thought.

This observation sparked the last emotion he would ever feel - relief.

 **Ah ~ I hadn't really wanted to kill Shion but the story wasn't quite right. I felt like he deserved a break, you know? Anyways, I had lots of fun putting them through tragedies, but I tend to be repetitive with the kind of pain I use. *shrugs* This was a pretty cheesy ending, and I know it's not realistic, but really - ghosts aren't exactly the epitome of reality. I plan to start another storyline with Nezumi and Shion, with basically the same idea, but I'll try to... How to put this... Be a bit more diverse in their everyday life. They'll be totally OOC though, I haven't read No. 6 in a while by now.**


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